An old entry, I know

[james_davis_nicoll]

Incremental progress over centuries produces impressive results.



Some murder rates over time

  
Period               England   Netherlands   Scandinavia  Germany       Italy
                                & Belgium                & Switzerland

13th and 14th c.      23.0        47.0         n.a.        37.0          56.0
15th c.               n.a.        45.0         46.0        16.0          73.0
16th c.               7.0         25.0         21.0        11.0          47.0
17th c.               5.0          7.5         18.0         7.0          32.0
18th c.               1.5          5.5          1.9         7.5          10.5
19th c.               1.7          1.6          1.1         2.8          12.6
1900-1949             0.8          1.5          0.7         1.7           3.2
1950-1994             0.9          0.9          0.9         1.0           1.5
  

Usual disclaimers apply.